Real Estate Growth strategy - need advise

[Olivier Colson]

Hello fellow investors, you have lot of experience. I need your advise to go to the next step.

I am 42 years old, quite new to the real estate investing. It's a side hustle started aside of my employee job and I feel that this is my best plan to pay my 4 kids college starting in 2027 and secure my dream retirement in about 10 years. I have a decent salary, excellent credit score, no personal debt, no personal mortgage. So I started from scratch 3 years ago and purchased one by one 10 rental single family houses in the last 3 years, all in my 20 miles neighbouring environment upstate NY. Only turnkey properties which I rent for 1% to 1.5% of the purchase price. Average property value 150k. All under an LLC. Nine out of ten have a commercial loan which ranges from 3% for the first one to 8,75% for the last one, exclusively with 10 years fixed rates from a local bank. My current strategy is to maximise equity over cash. All houses are rented to long term tenants. I do all the management myself (tenant selection, chasing rents from time time, accounting, etc). Limited maintenance is required, which I ensure with local handymen or contractors. Total equity 40%. Debt to income around 30%.

I feel stuck at the maximum of what I can afford to borrow and I am afraid of taking 20+ years loans. What can I do next to increase my portfolio and become totally financially independent ? What are the most successful strategies to go from amateur investor to a real professional ? All options you can advise will be welcome!!!

Thank you !!!!